Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-03-12
snferesfing AdYenture.


1t was recently announced that Mr.. G.
Sanderson, the superintendent of the gov.
ernment Kbeddehs at Dacca had made an
unprecedented capture OF elephants in the
Caro- Hills last mouth The details of this
exploit are described by Mr.. Sanderson him
self in the EngliShman:
"On the 14th we began the drive 10 the
forenoon. The elephants were, contrary to
our expectation and to :heir habits hitherto,
all together in one large gathering. To
arrive at the stockade they had FIRST to
reach small level plateau on the top CT
hill from which they were to be DETECTED
to their left down slope, al the foot of
which gas the stockade, well screened in
the Jungle. The two guiding palisades or
wings, conyergiDg to the gate of tho stock
ade, were run up the hillside the distance
of some 200 yards, at 50 yards apart. Three
FIRE lines were made through the jungle
across the space between the guiding pail
-sades, one joining them at their extreme
ends, one halfway down, and one about 60
yards from the gate. On these lines dry
grass was stacked in bundles and hidden
by green leaves, ready TO be fired when the
elephants had crossed the paths. The drive
was we'll managed, the herd being Kept TO-
eether and not overdriver, which often
causes q herd to break up into small
parties. The wind favored Us, and
the elephants were got to the plateau
near the mouth Of the funnellike
approach to the gate without very much
trouble. Here the men closed in front or
all sides, directed by spies in the trees. as
the grass was TOO high for those on foot to
see what the elephants 1ere doing. AS the
herd trooped past my post at the end OF one
of the palisades, it seemed as If the pro-
cession would never end my veteran gun
bearer, Jafa, whispered they were as the
insects of the Forest TGskers, females and
young elephants Of all sizes bundled along,
those in the rear fually showing q good
to close in on them. The moment the last
had crossed the outermost fire line, the spies
sounded their rattles, and as If by magic Il
had not spared few dozen match boxes
among the men) g cracking line of flame
extended along the hillside, joining the ey-
treme ends OF the paisGde, and cutting of
retreat Immediately the hitherto compar
ative silence CT the drive was broken by
yelling and blank firing from al sides, and
the elephants hurried forward in crowd
no longer sollo"ing any leader, but each
striving not 20 be last They soon crossed
the second fire line, ana at signal from q
fog horn, barely audible in the din of
elephants ana men. active fellows raced
forward from both ends with torches, and
n few seconds this lire also TaS 8 wall OF
fire.
The third iue vas similarly fred when
the herd had past and now the fun waved
fast and furious. Some of the elephants
went into the stockade at once, but q huge
male with the right tusk only, (such eleph-
ants are called Gunesh. and certain castles
of Hindus REVENGE theul,l tosk up his
only eleven feet wide, aud no eleph-
ant could pass MIN. The scene now was
extraordinary, and Col. and Mrs. Graham
Smith, from platform in e tree near, had
an excellent view of it. The space between
the converging palisades was tightly packed
by struggling mass OF elephants for many
wards from the gate. Every vestige Of jun
gle had disappeared, and the men were
skirmishing with blank cartridges and
torches of blazing grass up to within twenty
yards or less of the elephants, and shower
of sticks and clods was kept un over the
palisades by those outside. The roaring of
The youngsters of the herd, which were be-
ing tlampled and squeezed, combined with
the noise of rattes, guns, and of the fire con.
suming the jungle between the palisades IN
the direction whence the elephants had
come, made it impossible to make ones self
heard by any one even at ones elbow. l
fired several charges Of shot into the rear
most Of the elephants, though really l
thought them little to blame for not mov-
ing on : it was not for want Of will or push
ing, as the angle Of their hind legs as they
bored desperately into the mass befsre them
mutely testified At last the opposition
gave way the Gunesh and Others which
were stopping the way were borne onward
into the stockade by the pressure behind
and the animals in the rear made renewed
exertions TO get away from the terrible
sights and sounds so close behind them.
Only one elephant broke back she careered
through the men. who escaped in the most
marvellous manner In her terror she went
through the fire lines, most unusual pro-
ceeding for an elephant. She unfortu-
nately killed g mar on the surround some
two miles from the stockade, after which no
more was seen of her.
"When I saw the elephants struggling be
fore the gate I never believed that so many
(l36, as it turned OUT could by any posi-
biIity get into stockade 215 feet 10 circum-
ference The area was even less than that
Of circle of similar circumference, as our
stockades have Is straight sides of 10 feet
each and the gate side of 20 feet. We never
expected our stockades would hold over 100
elephants; 65 was the greatest number We
had ever impounded before, though l must
say they had plenty of room when the re-
sistance was overcome and the final struggle
I n do